During cold seasons snow and ice are accumulated on single wires of power lines. The accumulation of ice is particularly significant and rapid when supercooled water rains on the area of the power line. Ice and snow add the weight of the wires considerably, which can cause breakage of post mounting of the wires or even snapping of power line wires. To avoid such situations, the snow and ice accumulated on the power line wires must be removed periodically.
Publication WO 2012/034124 describes a method and arrangement for removing ice from power line wires by heating the wires with electric current. This, however, requires significant technical changes in the structures of power lines. Furthermore the removal of snow and ice from the wires by melting consumes a lot of electrical energy. Publication WO 02/084834 describes a method, in which snow and ice are removed from the wires mechanically, with flexible cables hanging from a helicopter and with an air stream created by the helicopter rotor. This kind of wire cleaning method is very expensive and also dangerous to realize. Publication JP 2004239037 describes a hammer attached onto a powerline, with which hammer a hit is applied onto the wire, to create a travelling wave motion that removes ice. Insulation on the wire surface complicates particularly the usage of hammers located on the power line posts.
The purpose of the invention is to introduce a method and a device for removing material, particularly snow and/or ice, attached on a power line wire, from the surface of the wire, with which method and device the disadvantages and drawbacks related to prior art can be reduced.